France

Located in South-Eastern France, Annecy seeks to be a marvellous secret that people-in-the-know carefully guard for themselves.

Less than an hour from Geneva, Switzerland, Annecy makes a fantastic day trip or weekend away.

Built around an ice-blue coloured lake, lined by the towering French Alps, there are few places we’ve visited as breathtakingly beautiful as this little town.Add into the mix a stunning old-town and a range of exciting activities just waiting for you and you’re onto a winner by any account.

Things to See and Do in Annecy

Soak Up Lake Annecy

The focal point of the own, Lake Annecy is certainly one of its highlights.Whether you take a dip, hire a paddle boat, join a lake cruise or just wander around enjoying the scenery, the lake is a beautiful place to be.

If you have more time, bikes are also available for hire and doing so makes for a fantastic day, so we were told.

Explore the Old-Town

With its beautiful canals (there’s a reason it’s known as the Venice of France), overflowing flower planters and stunning classic French buildings, the old town will welcome you to while away the hours.Keep your eyes peeled for Anncey’s old church that sits abridging two canals – it’s gorgeous and a perfect photo op.

Whilst you’re wandering, be sure to grab an icecream to cool down.I’m not sure why old town Annecy has so many gelato shops but I wouldn’t for a second complain!Do as we did and enjoy a tasty treat in the mid-afternoon sun.

Annecy Old Town Canals

Take to the Sky

Whether you’re looking for a massive adrenaline rush or something a bit more sedate, Annecy provides the perfect backdrop for your adventure. Both skydiving and paragliding is on offer in the area and though we didn’t have time to head out, we saw parachuters coming down and couldn’t help but look on longingly!

Check Out Gorges Du Fier

Just 10 kilometres out of town, Gorge du Fier welcomes visitors looking to immerse themselves in nature. With a beautiful walking track that snakes throughout the gorge, it’s a great place to unwind and see a different side of the French Alps.

Getting From Geneva to Annecy

With the town sitting approximately 45 minutes from Geneva, visitors are spoilt for choice in regards to transport options.Some of course are better than others though so consider all your options before deciding upon one.

We elected to take the FlixBus there and used the ride-sharing site, BlaBla Car on the way back.

BlaBla Car

Jumping onboard with the new sharing culture, we decided to try BlaBla car and came away with nothing but positive things to say.The premise is simple – people make journeys everyday with empty seats in their cars.BlaBla cars connects those with space to spare with people seeking a ride.It’s kind of like a safe, pre-planned hitchhiking website.

Online you’re able to check the reviews left from previous BlaBla’s to determine if you’re happy to ride with that driver and when you do decide on one, the funds are held until you’ve been picked up at the agreed time and place and delivered safely to your final destination.

Not only was our BlaBla Car ride cheaper than any of the other options, it got us home faster (in about 40 minutes) and offered more time options.

Drive Yourselves

We looked into this option briefly as we do love the flexibility that having a rental car offers.It didn’t take long to rule this out though thanks to the sky-high prices of rental cars in Switzerland.If you’re bringing a rental in from elsewhere or have your own car then driving to Annecy would be a convenient option but not one worth pursuing just for the sake of this trip.

Bus

FlixBus is a bus company found throughout much of Europe.They offer reasonably priced tickets and a reliable service and for this reason, they’re one of our favourite modes of transport on the continent.The journey through FlixBus takes approximately 50 minutes.

Shuttle

Shuttle buses run frequently between Geneva airport and Annecy but due to the number of stops they make, they can take substantially more time than the FlixBus – depending on the number of stops your timetabled service will make, it could take upwards of two hours to complete the journey.

Train

Though Geneva is well connected by rail, there is not a direct service between the two locations.This means that although it is possible to train, you’ll end up detouring via a different centre to do so.The high cost of this service and additional travel time clearly made it a no-go for us.

How Long Do I Need in Annecy?

This, of course, depends on just how much you want to do there.

We had planned on spending a night or two in Annecy but due to accommodation prices skyrocketing, we made the decision to base ourselves in Geneva and make a day trip across the border.We arrived into town at midday and left again at 5.30pm – though we could have happily stayed on in the city, we’d enjoyed our afternoon and felt OK about leaving.

I wouldn’t say we were excited to move on though – Annecy’s the kind of place it would be all too easy to visit and just stay put!

If you have more time than us, we’d definitely suggest booking a few nights in.The town’s relatively small but there’s a great deal to do in the area.Alternatively, just relax, eat your fill and enjoy the local shops – whatever you choose, it won’t be a challenge to fill your time there.

We had an amazing visit to this lovely little French town. It took us entirely by surprise and certainly left us wanting more of France.

With high expectations, we set off on the train (an incredibly easy way to get to the parks) to see if our Parisian Disney dreams could live up to our past experiences.

Disney – A Step Above

Disney set the benchmark for theme parks the world over – they consider things other parks wouldn’t dream of.

Worried your children might see another Mickey floating around the park? Don’t be – there’s only ever one of each character out on duty at a time (and they’ll never talk for fear of voices sounding different or ruining the magic).

Have you ever wondered just how they make Main Street look so long (and the iconic castle centre-pieces so far away)? Forced perspective! As you move further down Main Street, the shops become wider making everything appear further away than it really is.

As you walk from area to area, keep your ear to the ground. In doing so, you’ll notice subtle sound-effects that change to reflect the theming of that part of the park.

They really do think of everything!

Two Parks – One Pass

Between Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney Studios Park guests are able to enjoy the majority of classic Disney favourites and a number of new rides and though you can pick just the one park and stick to it, we always recommend the Park Hopper tickets. They give you maximum flexibility to come and go as you choose. Bounce around to avoid the lines and make the most of your favourite rides!

The Rides You Can’t Miss

A perennial Disney favourite, Space Mountain at Disneyland Paris (known as Starwars Hyper Space Mountain) is the fastest of all five incarnations (46mph in just two seconds!) and it’s also the only one to go upside-down. Unfortunately it was closed for our visit but we love the original and can only imagine how awesome this version would be!

If you’re after a rollercoaster style ride that builds up to an amazing ending, be sure to check out Big Thunder Mountain. It starts off fairly sedately but the last blat is incredible – I won’t ruin the surprise, just make sure you check it out for yourself.

Keen for another coaster? Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril is a bit rickety but it absolutely makes sense given the theme of the ride. The queuing area is especially well appointed and the ride itself excerpts some fairly major g-forces on riders (with a surprise towards the end!)

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith was the ride I was most excited to try out at Walt Disney Studios Park. The take off was incredible but I must admit that I found the rest of the ride a bit uncomfortable – probably a combination of the number of earrings I wear (they don’t go well with roller coasters) and the fact that we’ve been spoilt with more modern coasters. The music was well-matched though and as a dark ride, it’s a great introduction for those wanting to ride a bigger coaster without seeing what’s in front of them.

Though we ran out of time to jump on, we’ve also been told by friends that Crush’s Coaster is great fun. This spinning, wild-mouse coaster is suited to the whole family and would make a great addition to your day if you have the time.

… and saving the best to last, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror was our absolute favourite ride between the two parks. Like the original, it’s impeccably themed and run by cast members that never once break character. The ride itself features a number of significant drops – enough to bring on the butterflies in your tummy but not so much so that it’ll put people off – it’s a balance that can be hard to find but is done perfectly on the Tower of Terror.

It must be said too – let’s all cross our fingers that one day Splash Mountain is added to Disneyland Paris. What a ride!

Make Your Day Even More Magical – Practical Tips

It’s practically impossible to have a bad day at Disney but there are a few things you can do to improve your experience.

It’s All in the Planning…

Unfortunately even Disney can’t work real magic and this does mean that from time to time you’ll find rides out of commission. They post the expected ride closures ahead of time, allowing guests to thoughtfully plan any potential visits.

Pro tip: Check the opening times, expected ride closures and any special events for the day of your visit on the Disneyland Paris calendar.

The Fast Pass – Your ‘Golden Ticket’ to Disney

Though we visited on a Monday just before the school holidays in the hopes of finding the parks relatively quiet, it wasn’t to be. With rides ranging from a 45 minute wait time up to 1.5 hours or so, the Fast Pass would normally save the day in helping to get guests through lines (without the headache of actually having to wait in line). The concept is fairly simple – when you first enter the parks, make a beeline for the ride that you’d most like to ride, scan your ticket and pick up your Fast Pass. This fabulous little ticket will, for-all intents and purposes, hold your space in the line at a certain point in the day whilst you head off and enjoy other attractions. Simply return within the given 30 minute window and jump yourself to the front of the queue via the Fast Track entrance.

Unfortunately for us, the day we visited ended up being so busy that all of the Fast Pass tickets were snapped up early and we only managed to get our hands on one each. There’s a limited number of passes up for grabs each day – after all, if everyone in the park could take one for every ride, nobody would get ahead! This is great in the sense that everyone has a fair shot at jumping to line (unlike in some other parks, like Six Flags Magic Mountain and Thorpe Park, where guests with deep pockets can buy their way to the front time and time again) but it does mean that you’ll struggle to benefit from this place-saving technology on particularly crowded days.

Let’s face it though, you’re at Disneyland – there are much worse places to be standing in line!

Minimising Your Wait Time

Whilst in the parks, try to pick up as many Fast Passes as you can. Failing that though, use the following tips to try to avoid the lines as much as possible:

Upon entering Disneyland Paris, turn right first towards Discoveryland. The majority of Disney-goers head to Frontierland (the first zone on the left after Main Street) so by starting at the other end of the park, you’ll avoid many of the larger lines off the bat.

Consider the hours of operation. Disneyland Paris is open a fair bit longer each day than Walt Disney Studios Park and as it’s the experience that most visitors are there for first and foremost, it makes sense to pop across to the Studios first. Not only will the lines likely be shorter there first thing in the morning but you’ll be guaranteed to tick off your must-see rides, leaving the rest of the day/evening to explore Disney.

Be smart about lunchtime. Most visitors to the parks dine between midday and two – not only will the lines at the food outlets be longer then but the lines for the rides will be shorter. If you’re able to, plan in either an early or late lunch and make the most of the quieter periods around the parks. Alternatively, if your tummy is grumbling, you may like to consider heading to Disney Village where you’ll find fewer visitors. We speak from experience when we say it’s probably worth walking another 5 minutes to save spending 20 in another line – the food cues certainly aren’t as entertaining as the ride ones!

Make the most of parade times. Queues are generally shorter then as most of the guests will be enjoying the paradise as it snakes its way through the park so it’s a great time to hit the rides.

Catch the train around the park but do so from Frontierland, Discoveryland or Frontierland. You’ll find Main Street to be the busiest station in the park.

Mums and Dads, don’t wait twice! If you’re travelling with a little one that’s too small to ride, you can avail the ‘baby switch’ policy – just ask a cast member for information.

Splurge and have the parks to yourself. If you choose to stay onsite at one of the Disney hotels, you’ll be allowed into the parks before and after everyone else, plus you’ll have the added bonus of being able to return to your hotel to relax when things get busy (and then be able to pop back across when the lines die down).

Regardless of the park you step foot into, Disney really do a magical job of their theming and in creating a truly immersive experience for the whole family and their Paris parks are no exception.

Though the parks are smaller than their American counterparts, they’re a great introduction to the world of Disney!

If you’re visiting France, be sure to allow yourself time to visit Disney. After all, it’s the happiest place on earth and who’s not looking for that?

Off to Disney or know someone that is? Pin this post to return to these park tips!

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Parisians have quite the reputation around the world and sure enough, when we booked our flight to France, the warnings started coming in…

Don’t let them think you’re from the UK – be sure to tell them you’re Kiwis.

Start with as much French as you can – they won’t like if it you speak in English.

Could the French really be as closed-off as we’d been lead to believe?

With our bags packed and my basic-high-school-level French almost certainly about to let me down, we set out to find out.

Our first interactions with locals came as soon as we left the airport. Straight off an early morning flight and look anything but fresh, we found our way onto the train and started studying the map above the door to figure out how many stations would pass before we were to get off.

Imagine our surprise when two ladies jumped straight into our conversation to help us. Not only were they keen to share information with us but they suggested we follow them off the train as we’d be sharing the same stop.

Where was this Parisian attitude we’d heard so much about?

Surely it was on the way – we’d just struck it lucky?

Throughout the day we happily meandered through Paris, making purchases in shops and navigating the metro without any worries but before it was time to head to a specific spot for a booking we’d made. Needing to be in a certain place, at a certain time, in a city we’re unfamiliar with whilst speaking another language? Surely a recipe for disaster, right?

Wrong!

Lost and looking for the metro, we asked two burly policemen to point us in the right direction and before we knew it they were complimenting me on my French (which of course couldn’t be further from the truth) and chatting to us about where we were from.

Maybe it was that we led with French but a simple Excusez-moi, bonjour was all it took.

Headed in the right direction, we found our way to the home of Jean Yves to learn how to whip up a batch of world-class macarons. Jean Yves opens his kitchen to locals and travellers alike, teaching them the tricks of the trade and who better to learn from than the winner of Masterchef France?!

Throughout our visit, Jean Yves was patient, kind and very generous with his knowledge – everything you’d hope for but potentially not what we’d been told to expect of a Parisian.

By now, we were beginning to think we’d got it all wrong about the French and for the remainder of the trip, that’s exactly what we found to be the case.

Our encounters were, for the most part, very welcoming and we experienced no shortage of locals willing to converse with us in English… to the point where I found myself almost a little disappointed not to practice my French more!

The icing on the cake though?

As we approached the Eiffel Tower on a sunny summer’s day we realised we wouldn’t last long outside without our trusty sunscreen – unfortunately though, we’d left it back in Abu Dhabi and had struggled to find any earlier in the day. We made one last-ditch effort to track some down and approached a vendor to see if he had any available for purchase.

Though he didn’t, you can imagine our surprise when he pulled two tubes out from behind the counter, offering up both face and body cream at absolutely no charge. No he couldn’t sell us any but he was more than happy to ensure we were taken care of.

I don’t think I’ve been that well looked after anywhere in the world!

Of course we came across people that were less than pleasant but that’s life. You’ll always encounter people having bad days or those that would rather keep to themselves than help – it’s certainly not something specific to Paris.

I assume this stereotype must be founded on the back of genuine experience but we personally found it to be anything but the case!

Though the French we encountered were incredibly helpful, it’s always nice to try your hand at the local language whilst travelling. Not only do they appreciate it but it’s all a part of the experience.

The following basic phrases should get you started on your trip to Paris, but remember, if you do your best and approach your interactions with the right attitude, the Parisians really will look after you!

French 101:

Hello/Good day – Bonjour

Good evening – Bonsoir

How are you? (How’s it going?) – Commentçava?

Things are going well – Çava bien

My name is Sarah – Je m’appelle Sarah

And you? – Et Tu?

Please – S’il vous plait

Thank you – Merci

Thank you very much – Merci beaucoup

Excuse me – Excusez-moi

Sorry – Pardon

In English? – En anglais? Or even better, en anglais s’il vous plait?

Do you speak English? – Parlez vous anglais?

Goodbye – Au revoir

With some basic French under your belt and a great big smile, we really do hope you’ll have the same experience that we did in Paris.

Though it was a city that wasn’t top of either of our European wish-lists, we came away having had a ball in the City of Love and have a completely new appreciation for the French.

Isn’t it fabulous when expectations are blown out of the water?

Have you visited Paris? If so, what was your experience of interacting with the French? We’d love to hear from you!

Want to let others know how accommodating and patient the French can be? Pin this post!

Are you looking for an amazing place to stay whilst you visit Paris?

We absolutely fell in love with Adèle & Jules, finding the staff to be the epitome of the welcoming Parisians we met elsewhere. We couldn’t recommend them enough!

If your budget won’t quite stretch to that, Le Village Hostel is a comfortable option in an energetic, lovely part of town – great value for money!